Roméo et Juliette - Why you must see Roméo et Juliette

Roméo et Juliette - Power of music

Roméo et Juliette - Mercutio

Roméo et Juliette - How to get ready to sing?

Roméo et Juliette - Opera and surprise

Composer

(Paris, 1818 – Saint-Cloud, 1893) His father was a painter and his mother was a pianist who passed along her interest in music to him. As a student at the Conservatory, his teachers included, among others, Lesueur and Reicha, with whom Berlioz also studied...

Synopsis

Capulet is giving a masked ball in his home in order to introduce his daughter Juliet to Verona’s high society. In disguise, a member of a rival family, Romeo Montaigu, along with some friends, has managed to slip in unnoticed among the guests. When Juliet appears, Romeo instantly falls in love with her. The feeling is mutual. Juliet’s cousin Tybalt recognizes Romeo, for whom he professes great hatred. Juliet’s father manages to prevent a confrontation. He allows Romeo to leave without making a scene, so as not to ruin the party.

Scene 1 — Romeo tells his friend, Friar Lawrence, of his love for Juliet and his desire to marry her. The friar agrees to marry the couple right away.

Scene 2 — Romeo’s page, Stefano, sings a mocking serenade in front of the Capulets’ home. Witnessing the insulting behaviour, Gregorio provokes a quarrel with Stefano. This results in a chain reaction of violence, as Mercutio in turn fights with Tybalt. Romeo, rushing onto the scene, tries in vain to calm things down. But he soon also gives in to the aggressive mood when Tybalt kills his friend Mercutio. When the battle is over, Tybalt falls, mortally wounded by Romeo. Only the arrival of the Duke of Verona brings the hostilities to an end. Learning what has happened, the Duke banishes Romeo.

On their wedding night, the two newlyweds again declare their love. But the morning song of the lark brings them back to reality: they must go their separate ways. Capulet tells his daughter that she is to marry Paris that very day. Friar Lawrence advises a shattered Juliet to drink a potion that will induce a deep sleep and produce the appearance of death.

Romeo has not been made aware of Friar Lawrence’s plan. Believing Juliet to be dead, he drinks a vial of poison. Juliet awakens and the two sing of their love for each other. Learning that Romeo has just swallowed a fatal poison, Juliet stabs herself with a dagger. The lovers die, asking for divine clemency.